1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a bale mover and more particularly to a bale mover which may be mounted on the three-point hitch of a tractor or on the forward end of a front-end loader mounted on the tractor. More particularly, the bale mover of this invention enables a pair of bales to be moved by the bale mover. Even more particularly, the instant invention relates to a bale mover which enables a pair of bales to be placed on the ground in a spaced-apart side-by-side relationship without tearing or damaging the plastic net wrap on the bales. Even more particularly, the instant invention relates to a bale mover which enables a pair of bales to be placed on a bale carrier, such as a truck or trailer, in a side-by-side manner with the bales being in engagement with one another.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many types of large, round bale handlers, movers or carriers have been previously provided. Some of the early bale movers utilized a bale spear or tooth which was operatively secured to the three-point pitch of a tractor or which was secured to the forward end of a front-end loader mounted on the tractor.
Assuming that the prior art bale tooth extended rearwardly from the tractor, the tractor operator would back up to a bale and drive the tooth into the bale. The tractor operator would then raise the three-point hitch of the tractor to raise the speared bale from the ground. The tractor operator would then drive to a remote location where the bale would be placed on the ground or stacked on other bales for subsequent storage, transport or consumption. As the size of farm tractors has grown, the bale movers have been modified to enable the bale movers to handle two large round bales in a spaced-apart side-by-side relationship.
In Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 7,753,636, which issued on Jul. 13, 2010, a bale mover is disclosed which enabled a pair of round bales to be vertically movably supported on the forward end of a tractor mounted front-end loader and/or vertically movably supported by a three-point hitch at the rearward end of a tractor. U.S. Pat. No. 7,753,636 is hereby incorporated by reference to complete the disclosure herein if necessary.
However, it has been determined that most persons involved in the hay business desire that the bales be spaced-apart when stored on the ground so that rain or snow will not collect between the bales. A problem associated with the storage of the bales in a spaced-apart manner arises when the bales are to be transported on a bale carrier such as a truck or trailer. If the bales are moved in pairs, the spaced-apart bales, when placed on the bale carrier will have a greater width than if the bales were closely positioned together in an abutting side-by-side relationship.